Drapery rod fixture



May 26, 1964 J. V. GRABER DRAPERY ROD FIXTURE Filed Oct. 23, 1961 UnitedStates Patent O 3,134,132 DRAPERY ROD FXTURE Joseph V. Graber, Madison,Wis., assigner to Graber Manufacturing Company, Inc., Middleton, Wis., acorporation of Wisconsin Filed ct. 23, 1961, Ser. No. 146,720 1t)Claims. (Cl. 16-94) This invention relates to drapery fixtures andparticularly to an improved traverse rod and support bracket therefor.

An important object of this invention is to provide an improved draperyrod and support bracket therefor which can be mounted flush to theceiling or other overhead support.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved drapery rodand mounting bracket in which the mounting bracket is completelyconcealed from the front of the rod to enhance the appearance of theinstalled drapery fixture.

Another object of this invention is to provide a drapery rod andmounting bracket therefor which enables easy mountingand removal of therod from the support.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a drapery rod andmounting bracket therefor and which the mounting bracket can beinitially attached to the support surface such as a ceiling or the like,and the rod thereafter mounted on the bracket and adjusted relative tothe support in a direction longitudinally of the rod to facilitatelocation of the rod in the desired position.

The present invention relates to a hollow traverse rod having alongitudinally extending trackway and is characterized by the provisionof spaced openings in the rod above the -trackway and mounting bracketswhich extend through the openings and engage the underside of the topwall of the rod to support the same, without interfering with themovement of the slides along the trackway and in such a manner that themounting bracket is completely concealed from the front of the rod.

These, together with various ancillary objects and features of thepresent invention will be more readily appreciated as the same becomesbetter understood by reference to the following detailed descriptionwhen taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. l is a fragmentary perspective view of one form of rod and mountingbracket with parts broken away and shown in section to illustratedetails of construction;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken on the plane 2 2of FIG. l

FiG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective View illustrating an auxiliarymounting bracket for use in supporting the rod of FIG. l;

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the plane 4 4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a drapery fixturehaving a modified form of mounting bracket; and

FIG. 6 `is a fragmentary rear perspective view of a further modifiedform of drapery rod and mounting bracket therefor.

The drapery fixture of the present invention in general includes ahollow rod 10 having an elongated slot 11 defining a trackway, and amounting bracket 12 for supporting the rod. In accordance with thepresent inven tion, the rod lil is formed with openings 13 at spacedpoints therealong above the trackway 11 and the mounting bracket 12 isformed with rod engaging portions or fingers 14 which extend through theopenings 13 and engage the underside of the top wall of the rod tosupport the same. With this arrangement, the rod can be mounted flush toa ceiling or other overhead and, moreover, the mounting brackets arecompletely concealed from the front of the 3,134,132 Patented May 2e,1964 ice rod to thereby enhance the overall appearance of the draperyfixture.

The rod 1li is preferably formed with a generally flat top wall 16 forengaging the ceiling or other overhead and a front wall 17 shaped tosimulate a molding or the like. As shown, the front wall 17 is formedwith a longitudinally extending bead 13 along the upper side thereof andthe front wall merges with a curved bottom wall 19. The slot 11 ispreferably formed in the rear wall 21 at a level spaced an appreciabledistance below the top wall 16 to provide clearance for the draperyslides 20 mounted in the track-way. For reasons which become apparent asthe following description proceeds, the rear wall 21 is advantageouslyformed with a rearwardly projecting bead along the juncture of the rearwall with the top Wall, and which bead has a downwardly and forwardlyinclined wall portion designated 22. The openings 13 are formed in thisdownwardly and forwardly inclined wall portion 22 and, as is clearlyshown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the openings 13 are spaced below the top wall 16of the rod. This provides a ledge or lip 2d which extends downwardlyfrom the top wall of the rod above each of the openings 13, and which isemployed in a manner described hereinafter to prevent lateral withdrawalof the rod from the mounting bracket.

It is contemplated that the opening 13 be formed at uniformly spacedintervals along the rod, for example every six inches, to enableplacement of the brackets at any desired location along the rod. The rodsupport brackets 12 are so arranged that they can be mounted on thesupport surface such as the ceiling indicated generally by the numeral31 prior to installation of the rod; the .rod thereafter assembled ontothe brackets, and the brackets then tightened to clamp the rod inposition. In order to avoid the necessity of accurate placement of thebrackets and to enable adjustment of the position of the rod afterinstallation, provision is made for adjustably supporting the rodbrackets for movement in a direction longitudinally of the rod adistance at least equal to the spacing between adjacent ones of theopenings 13 in the rod.

As shown in the embodiment of FIGS. l and 2, the rod mounting bracket 12includes an elongated mounting plate 32 having a pair of theaforementioned rod engaging fingers 14 extending laterally from adjacentopposite ends thereof. The mounting plate 32 is slidably attached to achannel-shaped member 33, which channel-shaped member has openings 34(FlG. 2) adjacent opposite ends for receiving screws 3S or the like toattach the same to a ceiling or other overhead. The channel-shapedmember 33 may be formed of any suitable material such as metal, plasticor the like and has outwardly and inwardly extending fianges 36 and 37respectively on each of its legs. As best shown in FIG. 2, the mountingplate 32 of the bracket has generally L-shaped flanges 3S and 39 alongopposite side edges which slidably engage the outwardly extendingflanges 36 on the channel member. A generally T-shaped block or nut 41is slidably supported on the inwardly directed flanges 37 of `thechannel member and a fastener such as a screw 42 extends through themounting plate 32 and into the nut to selectively clamp the bracket tothe channel member in any desired adjusted position. As will be notedfrom FG. 2, the channel member and nut 41 are dimensioned so that thenut will engage the screws 34 when the nut reaches either end of thechannel member, to prevent accidental detachment of the bracket from thechannel member. The overall length of the channel member isadvantageously made such as to enable adjustment in a directionlongitudinally of the rod -through a distance at least equal to thespacing between adjacent openings 13 in the rod.

The laterally extending rod engaging fingers 14 are shaped to facilitateassembly and removal of the rods from the lingers after the mountingbrackets have been installed on the ceiling andto also selectively lockthe rod against lateral withdrawal from the fingers. As best 'shown inFIG. `2, the r'od engaging fingers 14 are bent intermedia-te their endsto form a generally U-shaped portion 48 which extends downwardly alongthe rear side of the rod and then inwardly through the openmg 13 andupwardly and terminates in a rod engaging portion 49 which engages theunderside of the top wall 1.6. This forms an upwardly opening depressionor seat on each of the fingers which receive the downwardly extendingledge 24 on the rod. The rod engaging portion 49 of the lingers arepreferably longitudinally arched to facilitate sliding of the rods ontoand off the lingers. It is contemplated that one or more of the brackets12 be initially mounted on the ceiling or other overhead, at spacedpoints along the window, and the rod thereafter assembled onto themounting brackets. Since the mounting brackets l2 are 'adjustablerelative to the supporting surface in a direction longitudinally of therod, the position of the lrod can be shifted as required after it hasbeen assembled on the brackets.

While the rod 1) can be mounted entirely by the use of severaladjustable mounting brackets 12, it is more economical to initiallymount the rod by one adjustable bracket to facilitate adjustment of therod to the desired position, and to thereafer attach additionalnon-adjustable support brackets to the rod as required to adequatelysupport the rod. Such additional support brackets are illustrated inFIGS. 3 and 4 and are designated generally by the numeral 51. Theauxiliary brackets each include Ya mounting plate 52 having an opening53 therein for 'receiving a mounting screw 54. A rod supporting lingerl57 is formed integrally with the plate 52 Vand includes a U-shapedportion 56 adapted to extend through one of 4the openings 13 in the rodand an arched rod engaging portion 57 at the end remote from the plate52. As shown in FIG. 4, the rod engaging portions of the mountingbrackets shift downwardly away from the ceiling when the fastener suchas 54 isV loosened, and the rod can then be easily assembled on `thebrackets by merely tilting the rod slightly, as shown in solid lines,while pressing the rodinwardly onto the lingers to the dotted lineposition. A modified form of mounting bracket is illustrated in theembodiment `of FIG. '5. The rod 10 is the same as that previouslydescribed and like numerals are used to designate corresponding parts.The adjustable bracket 12 includes an elongated mounting plate 32 havinga pair of rod supporting lingers 14 extending laterally from adjacentopposite ends. As previously described, the rod engaging fingers arebent intermediate their ends to provide a generally U-shaped portion 4Sfor receiving the ledge 24 on the rod and an arched rod engaging portion49 for engaging the underside of the top wall of the rod. In thisembodiment, the mounting plate is attached directly to the ceiling oroverhead and is formed with an elongated slot 33 which receives amounting fastener such as 35'. WhileV a plurality of such adjustablesupport brackets could be used to support the rod, it is convenient andmore economical to use one adjustable bracket to Vfacilitate initialpositioning of the rod and to use additional non-adjustable bracketssuch as those illustrated and described in connection with FIGS. 3 and4. These non-adjustable brackets can be used to provide additionalsupport for the rod and can be inserted through the proper openings 13in the rod and secured to the overhead, after the rod has been initiallyinstalled and adjusted by means 4ofthe aforedescribed adjustable slide.Y A further modified form of rod and mounting bracket is illustrated inFIG. 6. In this embodiment, the rod designated generally by the numeral60 is formed with a .generally flat top wall 61, a front wall 62 and arear wall 63 with a slot 64 in the rear Wall spaced below' the top wall61 and defining a trackway. The front wall may conveniently be shaped inthe manner previously described to simulate a molding or the like. Inthis ernbodiment, the openings designated 67 are formed in the rear wall63 closely adjacent the underside of the top wall 61. The mountingbracket 63 is formed with a mounting plate 69 and a pair of laterallyextending rod engaging fingers 71 which extend through the opening 67.In order to prevent lateral withdrawal of the rod from the fingers 71,the top wall 61 has an inwardly extending bead or depression 74 on theunderside and positioned forwardly of the rear wall 63. The bead ordepression is located at least in the region of the openings 67 and mayconveniently extend the full length of the rod as shown in the drawings.The fingers 71 extend below the bead or depression 74 and have hookportions 75 at their inner ends arranged to engage the bead to lock therod against lateral withdrawal from the fingers.

The mounting plate 69 of the bracket 68 is adapted'for attachmentdirectly to an overhead ceiling or the like, in the manner previouslydescribed in connection with 'the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4 and, asshown, has a longitudinally extending slot 76. The rod and mountingbracket, however, can also advantageously be used on wall installations.As shown, a generally L.shaped wall bracket 81 is adjustably attached tothe mounting plate 69 of the bracket 68 by a fastener 82. The wallbracket has a portion 83 which overlies the top wall 61 of the rod, tothereby clamp the top wall of the rod between the fingers 71 and theportion 83. With this arrangement,V the rod can be mounted on a wall,window frame or the like at a level spaced below the ceiling and, wheninstalled in this manner, the wall bracket and mounting clamps areeffectively concealed from the front of the rod to provide an improvedoverall appearance.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the mounting brackets supportthe rod by engagement with the underside of the top wall and can beadvantageously used to support the rods flush to an overhead :such as aceiling. Moreover, the brackets support the rod in such a manner as tobe concealed from the front of the rod thereby improving the overallappearance of the xture when the rod is attached to a ceiling as shownin FIGS. 1 and 5 or when it is attached to a Wall as illustrated in FIG.6. In each vof the several embodiments, the rod and the rod engagingfingers are shaped so that the fingers effectively clamp the rodagainstlateral withdrawal. Additionally, the rod brackets are shaped andarranged so as to not interfere with the movement of the slides ortraverse cords along the rod.

I claim:

l. A drapery rod lixture for attachment to the underside of an overheadsupport comprising, an elongated hollow rod having a iattened top walland front and rear walls and a longitudinally extending slot spacedbelow said top wall and defining a trackway, slides mounted in saidtrackway for movement therealong and having portions projecting into thehollow rod, said rod having a plurality of longitudinally spacedopenings in said rear Vwall above said trackway, means for mounting saidrod with its top wall directly abutting an overhead support, saidmounting means including a drapery rod support bracket having a mountingportion adapted for attachment to an overheadsupport and a rod engagingportion extending from said mounting portion and through at least one ofsaid openings into said track above the slides, said rod engagingportion engaging the underside ofthe top wall of the rod at a pointintermediate said front and rear walls for supporting the rod with thetop wall abutting the overhead support, said mounting means includingfastener means engaging said mounting portion and extending transverseto a plane through the top wall of the rod for drawing the rod engagingportion upwardly to lirmly clamp the top ofthe rod against the overheadsupport, and interengaging means on the rod and rod engaging portion ofthe bracket for locking the rod against annales movement relative to thebracket in a direction crosswise of the rod when the rod is clamped tothe overhead support.

2. A drapery rod fixture for attachment to the underside of an overheadsupport comprising an elongated Vhollow rod having a top wall and frontand rear walls and a longitudinally extending slot spaced below said topwall and defining a trackway, slides mounted in said trackway formovement therealong and having portions extending into the hollow rod,said rod having a plurality of longitudinally spaced openings in saidrear wall above said trackway, a drapery rod support bracket having amounting portion adapted for attachment to an overhead support and a rodengaging portion extending through at least one of said openings andinto the rod above the slides, said rod engaging portion engaging theunderside of the top wall of the rod at a point intermediate said frontand rear walls for supporting the rod with the top wall abutting theoverhead suport, means attaching said mounting portion of said supportbracket to an overhead support for adjustment in a direction parallelingthe rod a distance at least equal to the spacing between adjacentopenings in the rod and for locking said mounting portion in itsadjusted position, said attaching means including a fastener extendingtransverse to a plane through the top wall for drawing the rod engagingportion upwardly to press the top of the rod against the overheadsupport.

3. A drapery rod xture for attachment to the underside of an overheadsupport comprising an elongated hollow rod having a top wall and frontand rear walls and a longitudinally extending slot spaced below said topwall and dening a trackway, slides mounted in said trackway for movementtherealong and having portions extending into the hollow rod, said rodhaving a plurality of longitudinally spaced openings in said rear wallabove said trackway, a drapery rod support bracket having a mountingportion adapted for atachment to an overhead suport and a rod engagingportion extending through at least one of said openings and into the rodabove the slides, said rod engaging portion engaging the underside ofthe top wall of the rod at a point intermediate said front and rearwalls for supporting the rod with the top wall abutting the overheadsupport, said mounting portion extending generally parallel to said rodand having an elongated slot extending lengthwise thereof, and afastener extending upwardly through said slot in a direction transverseto a plane through the top wall of the rod for engagement with anoverhead support to support the bracket for adjustment in a directionparalleling said rod, said fastener being operative when tightened tolock said bracket against movement and to draw the rod engaging portionupwardly to press the top of the rod against the overhead support.

4. A drapery rod fixture for attachment to the underside of an overheadsupport comprising an elongated hollow rod having a top wall and frontand rear walls and a longitudinally extending slot spaced below said topwall and dening a trackway, slides mounted in said trackway for movementtherealong and having portions extending into the hollow rod, said rodhaving a plurality of longitudinally spaced openings in said rear wallabove said trackwa, a drapery rod support bracket having a mountingportion adapted for attachment to an overhead support and a rod engagingportion extending through at least one of said openings and into the rodabove the slides, said rod engaging portion engaging the underside ofthe top wall of the rod at a point intermediate said front and rearwalls for supporting the rod with the top wall abutting the overheadsupport, said mounting portion extending generally parallel to said rodand having opposed inwardly directed flanges along opposite sides, achannel-shaped guide member having a i'irst pair of outwardly directedflanges on the legs thereof and a second pair of inwardly directedilanges, said flanges on said mounting portion loosely engaging saidirst pair of legs to support the mounting portion for adjustment in adirection longitudinally of the rod, a slide block slidably mounted onsaid second pair of legs, and a fastener extending through said mountingportion in a direction transverse to a plane through the top wall of therod and engaging said block for locking the mounting portion to theguide member and for drawing the mounting portion upwardly to press thetop of the rod against the overhead support.

5. A drapery rod fixture comprising, an elongated hollow rod having atop wall and front and rear walls and a longitudinally extending slotspaced below said top wall and defining a trackway, slides mounted insaid trackway for movement therealong and having portions extending intothe hollow rod, said rod having a plurality of longitudinally spacedopenings in said rear wall above said trackway, a drapery rod suportbracket having an elongated mounting portion and at least two rodengaging portions extending laterally from the mounting portion atspaced points therealong, said rod engaging portion extending throughspaced ones of said openings in said rod above the slides and intoengagement with the underside of the top of the rod to support the same,means attaching said mounting portion of said support bracket to anoverhead support for adjustment in a direction lengthwise of themounting portion a distance at least equal to the spacing betweenadjacent openings in the rod and for selectively locking said mountingportion of the bracket in its adjusted position, said attaching meansincluding a fastener extending transverse to a plane through the top ofthe rod and operative to draw the rod engaging portion upwardly to pressthe top of the rod aga'nst the overhead support.

6. In combination, an elongated hollow rod having a top wall and frontand rear walls and a longitudially extending slot in the rear wallspaced below `the top wall and detining a trackway, slides mounted insaid trackway for movement therealong and having portions extending intosaid hollow rod, said rear wall having a plurality of longitudinallyspaced openings therein spaced above the trackway and spaced below thetop of the rod to form a depending lip on the rod above each opening, adrapery rod support bracket having a mounting portion and a rod engagingnger extending from said mounting portion, said rod engaging lingerhaving a U-shaped portion intermediate its ends extending through one otsaid openings and straddling said lip above the openingr in the rod toclamp the rod against movement relative to the mounting portion, saidlinger having a rod engaging portion at the end remote from the mountingportion disposed above said slides and engaging the underside of the topwall of the rod to support the rod, and means including a fastenerextending upwardly through said mounting portion for attaching saidmounting portion to an overhead support and for drawing the rod engagingfinger upwardly to clamp the rod to the overhead support.

7. In combination, `an elongated hollow rod having a top wall and frontand rear walls and a longitudinally extending slot in the rear -wallspaced below the top wall and defining a trackway, slides mounted insaid trackway for movement therealong and having portions extending intosaid hollow rod, said rear wall having a bead adjacent its junctureiwith said top wall and defining a wall portion disposed above thetrackway and inclined downwardly and forwardly irom adjacent the rearedge of the 'top wall, said rear Wall having a plurality oflongitudinally spaced openings in said wall portion above the trackwayand spaced Ibelow said l'top wall to form a depending lip above eachopening, and a drapery rod support bracket having a mounting portion andla rod engaging finger extending from said mounting portion, said rodengaging finger having a U-shaped portion intermediate its endsextending through one of the openings and straddling said lip above theopening in the rod to clamp the rod against movement relative to themounting portion, said finger having a rod Yengaging portion at the endremote from the mounting portion disposed above said slides and engagingthe underside of the top Wall of the rod to support the rod, and'meansincluding Ia fastener extending upwardly through said mountingpor-tion'for attaching said mounting portion to an overhead support andfor drawing the rod engaging finger upwardly to clamp the rod to theoverhead support.

`8. In combination, an elongated hollow rod having a top wall land'frontand rear walls, said rod having an elongated slot therein spaced belowsaid top wall and defining a trackway, slides mounted in said trackway'for movement therealong and having portions extending into said hollowrod, said rear wall having a plurality of longitudinally spaced openingstherein spaced above the trackway, said rod having means defining a ribextending downwardly below the level of the top wall at least in theregion adjacent the openings in the rod, a drapery rod support brackethaving a mounting portion and a first rod engaging finger extending fromsaid mounting portion, said first finger having a saddle por-tionextending into one of said openings in said rod and straddling said riband engaging the underside of the rod to support the saine, and afastener extending through said mounting portion in a directiontransverse to a plane through the top wall of 'the rod for drawing thesaid first finger upwardly to clamp the same to an overhead support.

9. The combination of claim 8 wherein said rib is located at theunderside of the top wall intermediate the front and rear edges of thetop lwall.

l0. In combination,V an elongated hollow Arod having a top |wal-l andfront and rear walls, said rod having an elongated slot therein spacedbelow said top wallwandV defining a trackway, slides mounted in saidtrackway for movement therealong and having portions extending into saidhollow rod, said rear wall having a plurality of longitudinallyI spacedopenings therein spaced above the tnackway, said rod having meansdefining a rib extending downwardly below the level of the top wall atleast in the region adjacent the openings in the rod, ya drapery rodsupport bracket having a mounting portion and a first rod engagingfinger extending from said mounting portion, said first finger having asaddle portion extending into one of said openings in said rod andstraddling said lrib and engaging the underside of the rod to supportthe same, said mouting Ibracket including a second rod engaging fingeroverlying the top wall of the rod and terminating rearwardly of thefront Wall of the rod, and a fastener extending through said mountingportion in a direction transverse to `a plane through the top wall ofthe rod and into said second 4rod engaging finger for drawing said firstrod engaging finger up- Wardly to clamp the same to said second finger.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS656,506 Broadstreet Aug. 21, 1900 1,101,445 Janes lune 23, 19141,356,237 Szefczyk Oct. 19, 1920 2,720,373 Bell Oct. l1, 1955

1. A DRAPERY ROD FIXTURE FOR ATTACHMENT TO THE UNDERSIDE OF AN OVERHEADSUPPORT COMPRISING, AN ELONGATED HOLLOW ROD HAVING A FLATTENED TOP WALLAND FRONT AND REAR WALLS AND A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING SLOT SPACEDBELOW SAID TOP WALL AND DEFINING A TRACKWAY, SLIDES MOUNTED IN SAIDTRACKWAY FOR MOVEMENT THEREALONG AND HAVING PORTIONS PROJECTING INTO THEHOLLOW ROD, SAID ROD HAVING A PLURALITY OF LONGITUDINALLY SPACEDOPENINGS IN SAID REAR WALL ABOVE SAID TRACKWAY, MEANS FOR MOUNTING SAIDROD WITH ITS TOP WALL DIRECTLY ABUTTING AN OVERHEAD SUPPORT, SAIDMOUNTING MEANS INCLUDING A DRAPERY ROD SUPPORT BRACKET HAVING A MOUNTINGPORTION ADAPTED FOR ATTACHMENT TO AN OVERHEAD SUPPORT AND A ROD ENGAGINGPORTION EXTENDING FROM SAID MOUNTING PORTION AND THROUGH AT LEAST ONE OFSAID OPENINGS INTO SAID TRACK ABOVE THE SLIDES, SAID ROD ENGAGINGPORTION ENGAGING THE UNDERSIDE OF THE TOP WALL OF THE ROD AT A POINTINTERMEDIATE SAID FRONT AND REAR WALLS FOR SUPPORTING THE ROD WITH THETOP WALL ABUTTING THE OVERHEAD SUPPORT, SAID MOUNTING MEANS INCLUDINGFASTENER MEANS ENGAGING SAID MOUNTING PORTION AND EX-